


Requiem

by Prysms



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-26
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-17 09:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4660977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prysms/pseuds/Prysms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>CookieCrew has been peaceful for as long as they can remember. But when invaders break into their faction base, it's kill or be killed. A Minecraft factions story, rated T for some graphic violence. Server IP is play.blockedup.net.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_They're all dead. I'm the only one left. The ducks have won. It's over.  
My name is Non. And this is what happened on the day my world ended._

Non wearily slammed the last chest closed, then started making her way to the CookieCrew faction base and her private room there. Running the Salty Spittoon was costing not just her money but also her sanity. It seemed like she had to clear the chest shops every few seconds. Still, if this was what she had to endure to keep making a profit, Non would gladly pay the price.

Closing the iron door behind her, she flicked off the redstone lamps, laid down on the bed, and took a few deep breaths. The peace and quiet didn't last long though.

"Non? NON I NEED HELP OVER HERE!"

It was Iluvmonkeyz, calling from the grinder area. Non sighed and hauled herself out of the extremely comfortable bed. The magma cubes had probably escaped from their little secure room again. She picked up an unenchanted diamond sword and opened the door.

The mob spawning area was deafeningly loud. The first thing Non saw and heard were cows and pigs running back and forth in their enclosure screaming in panic as skeletons and zombies poured out of the shattered grinder. A few chickens managed to escape their pen and went flapping wildly down towards the hub. Two of the skeletons decided to stop attacking the cowering Iluv and target Non instead. She blocked arrow after arrow as she made her way over to Iluv, and managed to push the blocks back into place just as a creeper exploded inches away from them.

The blast threw Non and Iluv out of the grinder area and out into the hallway, which was still swarming with monsters. As they tried to prevent the mobs from reaching the base hub, there was a soft *paf* and Turtle appeared in a burst of white sparks, looking first confused, then terrified.

"Turtle, stay back!" Iluv shouted. She sprinted down the hall, shoved the smaller girl into a storage room, and locked the door seconds before a volley of arrows sank into the wall.

"Warn the others! Don't let them come in here unless they're armed and armored. We can't afford any casualties; our faction power is already almost too low to hold our claims. Non, you send the message, I'm going to clean this up."

Non nodded and secured herself inside the room with Turtle while she sent out a message to the other members of CookieCrew. In the background, she could hear Iluv plowing her way through the escaped mobs. Turtle was still whimpering quietly next to her.

Iluv knocked on the door a few seconds later. "I think they're all dead but I'm not sure. Let's get a few more people in here and do some extra thorough cleaning. Who do we have right now?"

Non looked at the list of members. "Uh... Shadow, Amaphora, Turtle's already here... Wyatt, Devon. That's all."

Iluv frowned. "Get Shadow, Ama, and Devon. I don't trust Wyatt."

"Why?" Non asked.

Iluv just shrugged. "Don't know. Just some weird feeling."

Non wanted to ask further but she knew that Iluv would tell her if she had any certainties. She trusted her leader's instinct.

A few tense minutes later, Shadow and Amaphora appeared in the hub. Both wore enchanted diamond armor, and Shadow carried a sword while Amaphora held a bow. "What happened in here?" Shadow asked warily, noting the spilled xp orbs, creeper explosion damage, and arrows still protruding from the walls.

"Broken grinder," said Iluv. "I just needed some extra pairs of eyes in here to make sure there's no more mobs hanging around."

Amaphora nodded as she glanced around the room. Then, before Non could shout a warning, she nocked an arrow on her bowstring, aimed at Iluv, and fired. Non watched in horror as the arrow sailed over Iluv's shoulder and struck down the creeper who had quietly sidled up behind her.

Iluv looked shocked but quickly regained her composure. "See, I knew there were still a few. Let's split up in pairs and go room by room. Ama and Shadow can take the member quarters on the right, Non, come with me to the ones on the left. Turtle, you should stay where you are. Let's move before anyone else shows up and wonders why it looks like a damn war zone in here."

They moved slowly down the hall. No more monsters appeared, but Iluv insisted they remain vigilant. "Where's Devon?" she asked Non as they cleared and secured another room.

Non sighed. "Managing the Salty Spittoon. Someone needs to deal with it while I'm here."

"Okay, I was just worried for a second. And where's Wyatt?"

"Not sure, probably just hanging around his omicron plot with Cat and Allie. I wouldn't worry."

"All clear!" Shadow yelled from the end of the hall. As Non opened her mouth to answer, the entire base suddenly shook with an explosion, throwing her off-balance. She and Shadow looked at each other questioningly, but Shadow just shrugged and wandered away into the grinder room.

"Did someone miss a creeper?" Iluv asked.

Amaphora shook her head. "That was no normal creeper."

Another muffled blast echoed through the hallway. Dust fell from the cracks in the ceiling and sifted down onto the carpet.

"What the hell is going on?" said Iluv sharply.

Non stared up at the ceiling, thinking hard. It was a familiar sound but she couldn't seem to place it. "I don't know..."

A third explosion shook the walls. "Whatever it is, it's getting closer so think fast please."

Combustion fuse. The sounds they heard were combustion fuses detonating. The word burst into her mind just as Devon appeared in the hub and raced down the hall towards them.

"Get to the armory, now! We're under attack!"


	2. Chapter 2

Non's heart leaped into her throat. Iluv froze, looking at Devon in terror. "What...?"

"There's no time!" Devon snapped. "We need to get ready to fight! I don't know who's out there, or what they have, but we need to hold this base at all costs!"

Amaphora ran over to the grinder and hauled Shadow away from the mobs within. "Everyone in here is accounted for, let's go! There's enough armor and weapons for everyone, and maybe some drugs, I'm not sure."

Non's mind raced as Devon dragged the little group down another hallway to the small base armory. Without more information, she had no idea how to fight the attackers who had managed to breach to obsidian walls. Devon barricaded the iron door closed with extra obsidian and started passing out sets of armor and enchanted diamond weapons.

"Can you see anything?" Iluv asked her.

Non peered upwards towards the source of the continued explosions but there was nothing she could see. "No. Not even name tags."

From her fetal position in the corner of the room, Turtle muttered something Non couldn't hear. "What?" Non asked.

"I said..." Turtle raised her head from her knees and locked her tear-stained purple eyes with Non's. "I said... it could be the ducks."

"That's crazy!" Shadow grumbled. "Vin's not dumb enough to try this kind of attack."

"She's not dumb," Iluv murmured. "But she's desperate. She would do this."

Non took the axe Devon offered her and swung it around a few times to get used to the weight of it in her hand. "We've beaten them before. We can do it again."

"Barely, though," said Devon bleakly. "And we had allies then that we don't have anymore."

"We've gotten stronger since we fought her the first time," Shadow pointed out. "Vin's no fighter and we're better prepared."

"Shhh!" Iluv hissed. She pointed at the ceiling in the direction of the explosions. "Do you hear voices?"

Non listened as hard as she could. She could indeed hear at least three voices.

"...CookieCrew. Pffft. Give me a fucking break. I can't be bothered."

"We're getting paid, shut the fuck up and hand me another fucking fuse. God damn."

"I only have twenty more, they don't grow on trees, you retard."

"You go to the fucking dealer every thirty minutes, give me a break, liar."

"Both of you shut up! I can't hear myself fucking think! There's one more layer of obsidian and then we need another few creepers."

Non and Iluv looked at each other. "Rezonl," Iluv whispered. "Leading RezDynasty. I can't tell their voices apart though."

Dread made Non's stomach twist painfully. "Shit," she muttered. "We can't hold them off for long."

"Should we run?" Amaphora asked. "Make the base look empty and get out while we can?"

"No!" Non snapped. "Even if we leave now, they have our base coords! We need to know how they found us, because obviously someone pointed them in our direction!"

"Turtle, are you going to be okay to fight?" Iluv asked her. "You should leave if you don't think you can handle it."

Turtle shook her head defiantly. "I'm not leaving you here."

Amaphora looked at her with concern. "Give her a bow. She'll stay with me instead of attempting a melee attack."

Before any of them could say another word, five more explosions shook the base. This time, they were distinctly inside.

"Shit!" Devon hissed. "Those were creepers. And they're getting closer."

Non gripped the axe until her knuckles turned white. "I can kill those. Devon, Iluv, and Shadow, engage the others. I doubt they'll expect a fight. Amaphora and Turtle, get to a higher area and only shoot if you're certain you can get a hit."

Iluv nodded. She looked pale but determined. "Do we have any drugs?"

"Not really," said Devon. "Ecstasy and painkillers... those should go to fighters. A couple of angel dust... Amaphora and Turtle should take those if it looks like we're getting overrun. A few cocaine, everyone should have at least one... and that's it."

Another creeper exploded. This time, it was just outside the door.

"They're here! We need to rush them so that we can get into the hub and have more room to fight. Ready?"

The obsidian Devon had used to barricade the entrance crumbled. Three figures in full enchanted diamond armor raced in.

Before Non could even raise her axe, a staggering blow struck her chestplate, sending her flying across the room. Iluv, Shadow, and Devon were fighting for their lives. As Non struggled to her feet, a shower of diamond fragments rained down around her as Iluv's armor exploded into shards. Turtle shot an arrow into the space between her attacker's helmet and chestplate, which he tore out with a snarl of rage. Blood ran from the wound, staining his white fur crimson.

"It's Rez!" Turtle screamed. "Someone-"

Her words were cut off by a sickening crunch as a sword hilt collided with her temple and she collapsed.

"Turtle no!" Non cried. She tried to run to Turtle and protect her, but an arrow flew in from the doorway and struck her arm, pinning it to the wall. The sudden pain made her head spin and she fell back with a gasp.

Devon and Shadow were still desperately fighting. Amaphora had been forced into a corner, but as Non watched, she suddenly bit down on a small white pill- the angel dust. With startling speed, she dodged around her assailant and raced out the door towards the hub. The man cursed in a garbled robotic voice and halfheartedly followed her out.

Using Amaphora's convenient diversion, Devon and Shadow fought back with renewed energy. Iluv had been stabbed through a lung and was thrashing and choking for breath on the floor near Non. She knew she needed to help Iluv and tried to pull out the arrow in her wrist, but the head was barbed and she couldn't force herself to do it.

Devon suddenly doubled over, retching. Horror gripped Non as she realized he had tried, and failed, to take the drugs that should have saved him. Instead, he fell to his knees, dropping his sword as he helplessly gasped for air. Shadow desperately tried to keep both attackers' attention on her, but Rez simply wrenched her weapon from her hand and struck her unconscious.

"They told us to leave the leaders," Rez growled. His bloody fur bristled with rage and he shot a look of pure venom at Non. "They didn't say to leave the leader's boyfriend."

Non's heart leaped into her throat. Rage and fear battled so intensely within her, she couldn't force out words.

As Rez raised his axe for the killing blow, Devon looked up and locked eyes with Non. He mouthed two words to her: I'm sorry.

Non felt the axe blade against her own neck as keenly as if it had been her instead of Devon. Pain, grief, loss, and regret made her gut feel as if she had swallowed glass shards. Non could dimly hear herself screaming as his blood splattered her armor and spilled over the cold quartz floor. Devon's severed head rolled away towards where Iluv had exhausted herself with her struggles and now lay still and pale, barely breathing.

"Looks like you lost your last fighter," Rez said, pointing the bloody blade at Non. "Don't worry, I'll heal Iluvmonkeyz enough to keep her alive for a few hours. After Fatal comes back here with your little deserter friend, we can have a talk."


	3. Chapter 3

A few minutes later, Shadow, Non, and Turtle had been stripped of their weapons and armor and were locked in an unused storage area. Iluvmonkeyz had been splashed with a weak healing potion and was breathing a little easier, though she was still weak. Amaphora, somehow, was running from Fatal deep within the base. Non could barely think. She still saw the resignation and exhaustion in Devon's eyes as the axe came down.

Rez was pacing furiously as he and Mike waited for Fatal to return. Turtle was curled up in a ball in the corner, shaking as Shadow tried in vain to comfort her.

"How did you find us?" Shadow finally asked, breaking the terse silence.

"Bought the coords," said Rez casually. "A few million in the right places works wonders."

Iluv looked at him in shocked horror. "Who...?"

"Wyatt," said Rez triumphantly. "Sold you out to whichever one of your enemies paid him the most.

"But why?" Non gasped.

"He knew you didn't trust him. And he was tired of trying to prove himself to you."

"There's nothing here," Iluv snapped defiantly. "You came all this way for absolutely nothing. He lied to you the way he lied to all of us." She slipped back against the wall, exhausted.

"I don't think so," Mike murmured. "I think we found exactly what we were looking for."

Non wondered vaguely what he meant, but she was too tired to think clearly. They waited another few minutes for Fatal to return, but he didn't show.

"How long is this going to take?!" Rez roared. He raked his claws across the wall, leaving five deep gouges. "Fucking ridiculous."

Mike shrugged and polished the bloodstains off his axe with the hem of his shirt. "I'm fine to wait. Honestly, Fatal's probably killed her already and he's just helping himself to the loot right now."

Rez glared at him, but quieted down and started changing out his slightly worn armor for a fresh set.

"Nice place you have here," Mike added as he examined the prismarine inlay on the walls. Iluv started to say something, but coughed again as soon as she tried to breathe. Non grabbed her shoulders and pushed her as gently as she could until she was sitting upright against the wall.

Loud footsteps stormed down the hallway outside. Rez looked up as Fatal_Insane stomped in, alone, with so many arrows sticking out of him that he looked like a porcupine.

"Well?" Rez demanded impatiently.

"I can't find her!" Fatal growled. He slammed his axe angrily into the wall. "This base has more hiding places than a fucking rabbit den. Fitting because all you people know how to do is run and hide."

Rez shrugged. "Fine, she'll show up sooner or later. In the meantime, tell me about the value of what's kept here... 

Shadow glared at him defiantly, but didn't speak. Non reached for Iluv's hand and squeezed lightly, knowing she would rather give up the few valuables they had than lose another leader.

"The grinder room," Iluv said in short gasps. "All our spawners... and a few stacks of eggs with the nether stars. Chests in the hallway are just building supplies... I don't know what else is in there. Chests in the room with the magma cubes might have Ancient Coins or Ancient tools... also enchantment scrolls or scrolled tools and weapons... Take what you want, but let us go."

Fatal laughed. "It's not that simple. We're here for a few other things as well... but that's a good start. I'm sure Mike can handle this bunch. Rez, let's go check it out."

Rez followed him out, looking slightly mollified by the promise of treasure. Mike picked up his axe and went to stand guard by the door. Non felt a sudden surge of hope. If Amaphora saw them leave, she'd know that only Mike was in the room with them. Maybe she could get them all out alive.

She didn't have to wait long. The door burst open a second later and a volley of well-placed arrows slammed into Mike, throwing him back onto the ground. Amaphora raced in, bow drawn and ready to fire. Her blonde hair was clotted with blood, and her armor was badly damaged, but she was alive. Mike recovered quickly from the shock, slashing clumsily at her with his axe. She ducked the swing and shot an arrow into his shoulder, locking the joint immobile. He let out a yell of pain and switched the axe to his left hand, but his arm shook and he seemed less sure of himself. Non watched in mixed terror and hope, barely daring to breathe.

"Let them go or you die!" Amaphora shouted. She aimed her arrow right between Mike's eyes and he took a step back. "Your friends are busy poking around in the hub, but they might get here soon enough to watch you take your last breath."

"That's where you're wrong," said a soft voice from the doorway. Amaphora whirled around, wildly aiming at the source of the voice, but no one was there. No one visible, anyway.

A second later, there was a sound like breaking glass followed by a wet squelchy thud. Amaphora gazed down in horror at the diamond axe blade that had broken her armor and pierced her ribcage. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, running down the remains of her chestplate. Her bow fell from trembling fingers and clattered on the ground.

The attack had forced Amaphora's assailant out of their invisibility. Prysms materialized in front of her, blue eyes like ice staring into Ama's brown ones. Her pale hands gripped the axe handle.

"You..." Ama breathed. Before she could say any more, Prysms cruelly shoved the curved blade deeper. Ama fell at her feet, choking for breath as she tried to pull the axe head from her own body. Prysms yanked it free, splattering Non, Shadow, and Iluv with gore, then casually wiped it clean on Amaphora's T-shirt.

"I trusted you," Shadow whispered in horror. "We all trusted you, how could you do this?"

"Quite easily," said Prysms. "Rez is very... persuasive."

Amaphora was still alive. She tried to speak but when she opened her mouth, all she could do was make a horrible gurgling noise as a fresh run of blood spilled onto the clean quartz floor.

"Oops, looks like she's having some trouble here," Prysms remarked lightly. She kicked the blonde girl onto her side, then touched her bloodstained axe to Ama's throat. "Hold still, this will only hurt for a second."

"No!" Shadow screamed. She tried to lunge forward and tackle Prysms, but Mike slammed the blunt side of his axe into her gut and she collapsed.

Blood spurted from the ragged stump of Amaphora's neck as her head rolled away and came to rest at Mike's feet. Non turned away from the horrible sight and retched in the corner, the image of Ama's dead eyes too much for her to bear. Shadow started hyperventilating as she clung to the screaming Turtle.

"Anyone else feel like pulling a weapon on me?" Prysms inquired sweetly. She pointed the axe at each of them in turn.

No one answered.

"Good," she said. Mike handed her a set of armor, which she quickly put on. "Nice to know you can barely handle fighting one wounded girl with a bow. Go help Fatal sort out what we're taking, I need to stall Vanquish and Bluecats because they're getting suspicious. I swear, the only reason CookieCrew's survived this long is because of their allies."

"See if you can pull the other CookieCrew enemy factions here," Mike suggested. "They're not exactly our allies but if they can keep Vanquish occupied, I don't care."

"I'm contacting G-Town and BTK now... GodHands and Guardians would be our best options but Sus probably doesn't give a damn and Awedawg is basically AWOL. Shit, Waffles and MuchDoge from Vanquish are at the fucking entrance! How the fuck did they get here so fast?"

"If they see Rez, they'll back off," Mike pointed out.

Prysms laughed. "Yeah, they'll back off until they get more fighters. Alchemists and Bluecats are on their way. G-Town is en route now... and apparently BTK is looking for horses, for fuck's sake. Honestly, Draegan is always the first person to show up for encampment but when it comes to a little run in the free world, his ass turns to lead."

Mike shrugged. "I'm going to tell Rez to seal the base back up so they can't get in. Secure the room and then we need to talk to whatever's left of NightWatch."

"Ugo would live and die for CookieCrew, we're not getting anything from them. Get ready to fight in case Vanquish breaks in. I'm sealing this area."

Prysms quickly broke down the door, then blocked the doorway with more obsidian as she and Mike went to rejoin Rez and Fatal at the grinder area. Non listened until their footsteps faded in the distance.

"Dammit," Shadow muttered. "Even if we had all our allies here, they couldn't take down everyone they brought."

Non buried her face in her hands as crushing exhaustion overwhelmed her. "I don't know what to do..."

She looked over at Iluv, whose breathing was starting to rattle horribly in her chest again. "She needs stronger healing than we can provide here. I don't know how much longer she has."

"Maybe if we just wait..." Turtle said shakily. "Vanquish and Alchemists might be able to defeat them."

"We don't have any other option anyway." Non took a deep breath and tried to force herself to be patient. Turtle reached for her with shaking hands, and Non let her bury her face in her shoulder. A few seconds later, they heard the first of many screams as the three factions clashed just above the base.


	4. Chapter 4

To Non, it felt as if hours were passing. The air was heavy with tension. Turtle had exhausted herself and finally fallen asleep in her corner. Iluvmonkeyz was fading fast, and every time she coughed, blood and bits of her lung tissue came up. Shadow was stroking her back and shoulders, but could do little else to help.

"Guys," said Non wearily, "I don't think we're gonna get rescued any time soon."

"Don't think like that," Shadow murmured. She gripped Non's hand tightly. "There's no other way."

"No..." said Iluv. Her voice was so faint, it took Non a moment to realize she had spoken.

Non moved closer to her. "What are you talking about ?"

"There's one last option," Iluv said weakly. She coughed again and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva on the carpet. "One that even you don't know about, Non... and one that I never wanted to tell you."

Non felt a twinge of trepidation, but she pushed it away. She reached for Iluv, gently brushing the hair out of her face. "I'll do anything if it means saving you."

"That's the problem," she whispered. "If it works... everyone in the base will die. No exception. If I supply a diversion, I need you to get out and run... I need to know CookieCrew will live, without me."

Non's heart nearly stopped. She gripped Iluv's hand. "Do you even know what you're saying?!"

Her cry woke up Turtle, who looked around in alarm. Then she looked at Iluv and an understanding seemed to pass between them.

"No," said Shadow quietly. "She's right. I'd rather go out knowing one of us is still alive."

Non looked from Iluv to Shadow to Turtle, horror growing with every second. "I'm not leaving you here to kill yourselves!"

"Would you rather wait and end up like her?" Turtle asked. She nodded to where Amaphora's headless corpse still lay. "We're going to die anyway and I'd rather take some of them with us than wait to get executed."

"Why me though?" Non whimpered. "I can't do this... Iluv please, you have to come with me!"

"Only I can set it off," Iluv said. "The detonator is linked to the faction leader and I can't put you in danger. If more than one leaves, you're going to get caught... You're our best chance of surviving, Non... Please. Do this for me."

Non took a shaky breath as tears spilled down her cheeks. Turtle crawled over and wrapped her arms around her.

"It'll be alright."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Non sobbed. "I can't do it!"

"Look at me, Non," Iluv gasped. "I don't have much longer... I believe in you. You've grown so much since I first met you; you're smart, kind, caring, and you'd sacrifice the world to save CookieCrew... Consider this my way of repaying you for everything you've done for me. There's going to be four small explosions at the end of all four hallways leading from the hub, and then one major one that will rain primed TNT from the ceiling followed by a two-block-deep layer of sand. Once the sand settles, the floor will explode. Nothing lives and nothing leaves. Please Non, I'm giving you one last order... Do it for me."

Tears dropped onto the red carpet, leaving small dark spots. Iluv was weeping too. Non's heart nearly shattered at the sight. She leaned into Turtle's gentle arms as she tried to think about what Iluv had said. "How are you going to do this without them hearing or seeing you?"

"The detonator-" Iluv broke off, coughing again. "The detonator is structured so that it's accessible from any room in the base. There are four levers, which start the beginning explosions, and then a button that triggers the last one. When I start the four, that's when you need to use the emergency route and get out of the base. They'll try to see what's going on but after the last one, there's nothing they can do. We'll stay here... to make sure it goes as planned. If it doesn't work, we're no worse off than we are now. And if it does... we have a chance."

Non nodded slowly. She knew where the emergency exit was, but their attackers were now standing barely a block away from the hidden entrance. It led to a cave system that wound through a ravine, then tapered to the surface of dry land. If she could get far enough away from the base, she could contact one of CookieCrew's allies to help her rebuild.

"Are you going to do it?" Shadow asked her.

"I don't have a choice do I?" Non said. "I'm not letting any of you down."

Iluv smiled and closed her eyes. "Thank you Non... I know what I'm asking of you, and I understand how much it must hurt..." She coughed, longer and louder this time, and blood ran steadily from her mouth. "We will meet again Non. Somehow. I promise..."

Non did her best to stop her tears. "Don't talk anymore. Save your energy."

Shadow supported Iluv's shoulders as she lay back and her breathing eased slightly. Non checked all of the chests in the room for any armor or weapons that had been overlooked, but all she found was a worn iron chestplate and a gold sword. It was better than nothing.

"Tell us when you're ready," Shadow said quietly.

Non gripped the hilt of her sword and nodded to Iluv. "What do you need to do?"

Iluv staggered to her feet, pushing away Shadow's helping hand. "Stay back," she told Non. She pulled back a square of black carpet to reveal a hidden chest, and flipped open the lid.

A high whine split the air as a redstone charge triggered by the chest opening raced down the hall. Seconds later, a blast fifty times more powerful than the combustion fuses went off. Non's ears rang from the noise. Four sets of running footsteps pounded down the hall, accompanied by Prysms' yell of "What the fuck was that?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" shouted a new voice. Non's heart leaped- it was Waffles of Vanquish.

Realization hit Non moments later and she frowned at Iluv. "Did that open the base?"

Iluv shrugged slightly. "Well... a little. Should keep them occupied for a while. Here, move."

Iluv forced herself over to the two obsidian blocks that sealed the entrance, then produced four items that looked like fireworks but were golden. Non knew what they were.

"Where did you get these?" she gasped.

"Long story, no time," Iluv said shortly, and she shoved two of the combustion fuses into the cracks between the blocks. The obsidian glowed brightly and then burst into tiny fragments. Any noise it had made was drowned out by the sound of the Vanquish fighters attacking the four RezDynasty members stubbornly holding their position.

"Go!" Iluv hissed, and shoved her towards the opening. Non hesitated, but quickly threw her arms around Iluv. Shadow and Turtle briefly joined their embrace before Non reluctantly pushed them away.

"You'll be fine, just hurry! It won't last long," Shadow urged her.

Non looked back at them one more time, sealing the image of their faces in her memory. She knew she might never see them again.

"I'll never forget you," Non whispered. Tears blurred her vision and she forced herself to leave before they fell. Iluv gave her a last little salute before dragging herself to the next trapped chest as Turtle and Shadow supported her.


	5. Chapter 5

As Non reached the exit, she chanced a look over her shoulder at the furious battle. To her relief, none of the fighters seemed to notice her as she ran down the hall. Non prayed that the mechanism hadn't been disabled by time and disuse, then pressed the little button hidden in the stonework. After a tense second of silence, she heard the quiet clunks of pistons working behind the wall, then a slight grinding sound of stone on stone as the bricks slid aside.

Non peered into the darkness beyond the door, but couldn't see anything. Unnervingly enough, there were rustling noises and what sounded like footsteps in the cave. There was an emergency lights system, but after flipping the lever a few times, Non was forced to admit it wasn't going to happen. She took a deep breath and started running.

The minute she passed the first of the cave branches, a spider leaped at her. Non managed to skewer it on her sword seconds before it bit her, and it fell twitching on the cold stone as foaming poison dripped from its fangs. Non knew there were more coming and kept going, too terrified to look back again.

It felt like she ran for hours, desperately listening for more explosions in the directions of the base. But she didn't hear anything, either because she was too far away or because Iluv had died before she could pull the lever. She didn't want to know.

Finally, a tiny speck of daylight appeared up ahead. Non desperately poured her last bit of strength into the distance and emerged, blinking, in the open air. Safe, finally. After looking around and making sure she was alone, Non lay down on the warm earth. Remembering Iluv's last words, the tears she had long suppressed began to flow. 

"Look who it is," said a cold voice. Non barely had the energy to turn her head to see who it was but she could hear three distinct sets of hoofbeats.

"A rat from the sinking ship," said another voice, female this time. "Should we kill her?"

"She looks dead already," said the third voice. Non recognized this one: Cpatin_crunch of TrollSquad. That meant the woman was erinjackson, TrollSquad's leader. Who was the first?

The first rider dismounted and walked over to where Non lay. She held as still as possible, knowing every breath could be her last.

The man's weapon, an enchanted axe, was tossed carelessly into the mud next to her. Two clawed fingers pressed briefly against her throat, checking her pulse. She tried not to flinch, but the temptation was too strong.

"Alive," he said shortly. Non opened her eyes a tiny sliver and looked around. The light gleaming off his armor was blinding, but she could see the three letters engraved on the handle of his axe: BTK. Non closed her eyes again, sick with fear. Draegan, the BTK leader and TrollSquad's ally.

"Then make it dead," snapped Erin harshly. "We can't waste any time. Once the other factions hear the CookieCrew base is open to attack, we'll be fighting every Free-ranked noob who wants some loot."

Suddenly Non heard shouts and footsteps running towards her. Draegan jumped up, grabbing his axe.

"Shit, they're already here," cpatin_crunch growled. "Let's move!"

The three swiftly spurred their mounts in the direction of the ruined base. Non relaxed for a brief second before another shadow fell over her. She squinted up again and saw it was Prysms. Her armor was battered and she was covered in blood.

"Oh good, you're alive," she said. She dropped her sword and pulled something out of a pocket, then tossed it on Non's prone form. It was the little magma cream badge that marked her as a CookieCrew leader.

"The others are dead," she added bitterly. "Clever, and ruthless; using your own allies as bait to hold us in the base while you blew it up. Something I would never have expected from CookieCrew."

"They gave us orders not to kill you," she added. "Go far away from here and rebuild CookieCrew. But we'll be watching you." She turned to leave.

"Wait," Non rasped. "You were ordered to raid us? By who?"

"Not so much ordered as paid and supplied," said Prysms. "As for who, I think you already know." She picked up her sword and walked away.

Right before she passed out, Non had a sudden burst of clarity. On the pommel of Prysms' sword, below the stylized R insignia of RezDynasty, was another symbol. Two crossed swords and the face of a duck.

_So now you know. Vin destroyed us. We underestimated her power, her fury, her thirst for revenge. The last of the flower army died with Iluv that night. She gave her life to save me and make sure CookieCrew would continue._  
I never wanted anything to do with their war. But she killed my friends in the cruelest way possible, forcing them to sacrifice themselves, and knowing I'd carry the guilt forever.  
I will resurrect the flower army.  
I will make her know my pain.  
My name is Non. And this is my requiem. 


End file.
